1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of dental implants and in particular to a system providing a tooth analogue and a gingival tissue healing cap which results in a restoration having tissue-implant profiles similar to that of a natural tooth and its surrounding gingiva. The present invention also relates to fitting a tooth with a temporary crown and final prosthesis after the initial implant structure has been inserted and the surrounding tissue has healed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many systems have been proposed for rigidly fixing metal or ceramic materials to the alveolus of a human mandible or maxilla in an effort to provide a long term replacement for lost teeth. Early systems were successful for only limited periods of time and were eventually rejected as foreign bodies. Later systems, as described by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,589,011 to Sneer, 3,797,113 to Brainin, 3,979,828 to Taylor, 4,324,550 to Reuther et al., and 4,416,679 to Mozsary et al., have proven to offer long term success by providing rigid anchorage in the supporting bone. Intraoral restoration of such ossointegrated devices has been accomplished with many different systems that modified the original attempts. Such modifications have been described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,780,080 to Harras, 4,713,003 to Symington et al., and 4,657,510 to Gittlemen. However, these restorative systems have required biologic and aesthetic compromises. The interface between an implant and its surrounding gingival tissue is often insufficiently close to prevent food and bacteria from entering this area. Such foreign matter can cause chronic infection and bone loss, resulting in eventual loss of the implant. Implants in current use have a round root form dimensionally different from that of a normal tooth root morphology. This makes aesthetic restoration difficult and impedes the development of a natural soft gingival tissue contour.
There exists a need for a dental implant system providing an implant root and gingival tissue interface having an improved resistance to bacterial infection and providing a contour more nearly approximating that of a natural tooth and its surrounding tissue.
In addition, removal of the transepithelial sleeve and/or healing caps to fit a temporary crown and then a permanent crown requires removal of the entire abutment/or healing cap structure which causes damage to the surrounding tissue including apical migration of the tissue and in turn necessitates additional healing time. There exists a further need for a dental implant system which permits a temporary crown and then a permanent crown to be fitted and implated without requiring that the temporary abutment and/or healing caps be removed.